BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Freshman Logan Keller (Longwood, Fla.) launched a two-run home run in the top of the 10th inning of game two to keep Navy's (17-14) postseason hopes alive as the Midshipmen won the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, 3-1, over Lehigh (22-17). The Mountain Hawks took the first game of the day, 10-5, but the two teams will faceoff in a winner-take-all game three at 1 p.m. on Sunday in Bethlehem, Pa.
 
Over the two games, Christian Policelli (Jr., Walkersville, Md.) led the Midshipmen with five hits and he also drove in a run during the first game of the day. Keller and Joe Simourian (Jr., Andover, Mass.) were the only two players with RBIs in both contests as the duo both hit home runs in game two. Navy's offense produced 20 hits on the day with 10 in each contest.
 
"It was really about our guys on the mound," head coach Paul Kostacopoulos said about his team bouncing back to win the second half of the doubleheader. "Tommy Goodridge pitched out of a couple of jams and really competed. Dalton Baker and Trey Braithwaite were both very good again today. We did not have much going on offense. We did have a little going in the first couple of innings but did not score. Then, Joe Simourian had a big hit with his home run and then Logan Keller had his home run, but that was our offense. So, hats off to those guys for giving us the chance to play another day."
 
Lehigh 10, Navy 5
 
Lehigh used the long ball throughout game one and scored six of its 10 runs off of home runs. The Mountain Hawks took the early lead with two runs on four hits in the second inning with Joe Gorla starting the scoring with a solo home run.
 
However, Navy bounced back with a five-run fourth inning to take the three-lead advantage over Lehigh. Keller drove in Navy's first run of the game with a single back up the middle to plate Policelli. With runners at the corners and one out, Colin Smith (So., Wilmington, Del.) tied the game at two with a single out to centerfield. Kyle Rausch (So., Middle Island, N.Y.) loaded the bases for the Midshipmen with a single to centerfield, and then Simourian worked a bases-loaded walk to put Navy on top by a run.
 
With two outs in the fourth inning, Navy kept the line moving with back-to-back RBI singles from Eduardo Diaz (Fr., Miami, Fla.) and Policelli to run Navy's lead to 5-2 after the top of the fourth inning.
 
Lehigh battled back to tie the game at five with home runs from Quinn McKenna and Gerard Sweeney.
 
In the sixth inning with the score tied at five, the Mountain Hawks broke the game open with a four-run frame on three hits to take a 9-5 lead. Lehigh added a run in the eighth inning to secure a 10-5 win in the first game of the semifinal series.
 
Nate Mitchell (Parker, Colo.) suffered the loss for Navy after allowing three runs – two earned – on five hits in his two innings of relief.
 
Matt Stamford grabbed the win for the Mountain Hawks after tossing the final five innings of relief without allowing a run.
 
"I thought we had some good approaches on offense in game one, but like baseball is, a totally different option that came into the game with Lehigh's left-handed pitcher. He threw three pitches, was speeding us up with his off-speed stuff where we were getting out front and we were late on his fastballs. Credit to Lehigh for making that move that point in the game," Kostacopoulos said about game one.
 
Navy 3, Lehigh 1 (10 innings)
 
The home run ball continued to pace the Mountain Hawks on Saturday with Sweeney hitting a solo shot in the third inning of game two to push Lehigh ahead by a run through the first third of the game. Over the first three innings, Navy had five hits but left six runners stranded with five in scoring position.
 
Both pitching staffs continued to put up zeros on the scoreboard as the Mountain Hawks still held the 1-0 edge. In the top of the seventh inning, Simourian deposited a ball over the right-field wall for this second home run in as many weeks to tie the score at one. Navy tried to put together a late rally in the inning as Diaz followed with a double out to left field but he was stranded at third base to end the top of the seventh inning.
 
Over the final two innings, neither team was able to push across a run as the contest went into extra innings with the score knotted at one run apiece.
 
In the 10th inning, after a one-out single from Zach Stevens (Jr., Lexington, Mass.), Keller hit Navy's second home run of the game with a shot out to right field to put the Midshipmen ahead 3-1 heading into the bottom of the 10th inning.
 
In the home half of the 10th inning, Trey Braithwaite (Sr., Winchester, Va.) worked around a one-out single and ended the game with a 1-6-3 double play to secure Navy's 3-1 victory to force the if necessary game in the series.
 
Braithwaite earned the win after allowing just one hit in two innings of work while striking out three. The trio of Tommy Goodridge (Sr., San Diego, Calif.), Dalton Baker (Jr., Sebring, Fla.) and Braithwaite combined for 10 strikeouts against just two walks while allowing just the one run.
 
Sam Wurth took the loss for Lehigh after allowing two runs on four hits in three innings of work.
 
The third and final game of the Patriot League Semifinal is set for Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. from Bethlehem, Pa. The winner of the Navy-Lehigh series will take on the winner of Lafayette and Army – who are also playing the third game of their series on Sunday at noon – in the Patriot League Final.